Underwater sensor arrays are important tools with both military and civilian applications. For civilian research purposes, sensor arrays can be used to identify and track sea life and make other scientific measurements. In a military context, sensor arrays can be strategically placed and monitored in order to identify and track all surface ships, submarines, and other waterborne objects. To prevent errors within integrated electronic circuits caused by SEUs and SETs, the current passing through CML gates can be increased. Increasing the current within an integrated circuit, however, increases the circuit's power consumption and requires larger system components. As a result of increasing the current flowing through CML gates, the gates become ineffectual for small technology nodes. Small technology nodes cannot withstand the increased power usage due to the size of node's internal components.
Referring to FIG. 1A and FIG. 1B a traditional sensor array system 100 with floating and anchoring application is disclosed. The system 100 is positioned underwater in a vertical orientation and comprises a sensor array 114. The sensor array 114 comprises a plurality of neutrally buoyant sensors 104, 106, 108 and 110 positioned along a cable 116. The deep end 119 of the cable 116 is usually weighted, and a buoyant object 102 is typically attached to the shallow end 117. The acoustic sensors 104, 106, 108 and 110 are neutrally buoyant, thus leaving the bottom weight 112 and shallow buoyant object 102 to create tension and neutralize the distributed weight of the cable 116. Specialized algorithms known as beam forming algorithms use the distributed locations of the acoustic sensors to identify, locate, and track objects in the water.
The traditional sensor array forms a curved shape, when subjected to ocean currents. FIG. 2 shows the curved shape 200 of a traditional sensor array depicted in FIG. 1A and FIG. 1B when anchored to the sea floor, and placed in a typical ocean current of fifty eight centimeters per second. This curved geometry significantly complicates beam forming algorithms and signal processing, thereby causing location estimates to be less accurate, impeding identification, and reducing processing efficiency.
A linear shape of sensor arrays is ideal for performance of the beam forming algorithms and accordant signal processing. A need therefore exists for a system and method for linearizing underwater sensor arrays. Also such system and method should generate more consistent and localized tension and enable the acoustic array to maintain a linear shape in ocean currents of varying strengths and speeds.